


Gift Enough

by alafaye



Category: Marvel
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 19:52:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5510882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>...even if there were presents? ...they were going to be together for at least part of Christmas...that was gift enough.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gift Enough

**Author's Note:**

> Written for day 23 of the advent challenge and the prompt 'wrapping paper'.
> 
> Masterlist for advent fics is [here](http://alafaye.livejournal.com/437913.html).

Steve looked up from his tablet when he heard the sound of paper ripping. He'd just come back up from the gym and was checking his emails. Last he knew, Clint was at SHIELD, debriefing.

"Stupid box!" Clint grumbled. "No, Lucky. No! ...did you have to eat it??"

Smirking, Steve stepped further into the apartment and found Clint in front of the tree, surrounded by crumpled wrapping paper. Lucky was next to him, paper hanging out of his mouth. "Having problems?"

Clint jumped and covered the box in front of him with his entire body. "No!"

Blinking, Steve turned away from the scene and went into the kitchen. "Want some hot chocolate?"

"Please?" Clint asked. "Now, if you'll stop eating it and I can just...wait, where'd the tape go? Argh! Nat said the box would help. It doesn't help! It just makes everything worse. I mean, these corners--they're just made for ripping paper."

Steve smiled and stirred the cocoa mix into the milk. "Anything I can help with?"

"You know it's your present. Why are you asking if you can help wrap your present?" Clint demanded.

"It just an offer," Steve replied. "How about Nat?"

Clint huffed. "Yeah, right. Bucky and I just got home. I'll give you three guesses what she's doing and the first three don't count."

Well, that was an interesting thought. "Didn't she tell him to go to hell about a month ago?"

Clint waved his hand. "You know them. Even they don't know if they're coming or going."

If that wasn't the truth... Steve poured the cocoa into the waiting mugs. "You want to come get it or you want me to come to you?"

There was a tense silence and Steve risked a look into the living room. Clint looked a little forlorn even though Steve couldn't see his face, but between his slumped back and shoulders and the wrapping paper strewn everywhere, the feeling creeped out without needing to see Clint. 

"I just wanted it to be perfect for you," Clint mumbled. He sighed and tipped backward, causing a minor windstorm with the wrapping paper. "Because you don't deserve anything less."

Steve sighed, amused. He took the cups into the living room and gave one to Clint who held it against his chest. Steve sat in front of his head. "You're home on Christmas Eve which means that you'll be home at least until tomorrow morning. Which means I get to wake up with you on Christmas morning and enjoy it. That is perfect for me."

Clint smiled a little. "You're a sappy romantic."

Steve shrugged and sipped his cocoa. "What're you going to do?"

Clint blinked and lifted his head to look at the plain brown box. "Ask you to help? So I can stop thinking about it and then you can show me your sexy romantic side?"

"I...don't have a proper response to that," Steve admitted.

Clint let his head fall back again and he looked up hopefully. "But you'll help?"

"I'll help because you're an adorable human mess," Steve teased.

"Hey!"

"Adorable," Steve pointed out.

Clint pointed at him with his free hand. "I don't think I like you as much as I did a few moments ago."

Steve caught Clint's hand and kissed the palm. "I'll make it up to you in a very nice way. I mean, you're still an adorable mess, but I will constantly prove that I don't care. I love you in spite of that."

"You know, someone should've left a note," Clint muttered, sitting up and turning around. "It would've been nice to know ahead of time that you are one sassy troll."

Steve chuckled. "But then that would've ruined the surprise!"

"Oh, my god, stop!" Clint demanded between laughs. "Quit while you're still ahead."

"I am?" Steve breathed, just to watch Clint's laugh more. 

Putting his cup aside, Clint crawled into Steve's lap. "Forget the present. You clearly need to be distracted so you can stop this madness."

Kissing him, Steve thought that he'd done well. After all, who cared how well wrapped presents were or even if there were presents? Like he'd told Clint, they were going to be together for at least part of Christmas. That was gift enough.


End file.
